Federal investigators cite Florida roofing contractor for willfully, repeatedly ignoring fall protection standards, propose $349K in fines

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Federal investigators cite Florida roofing contractor for willfully, repeatedly ignoring fall protection standards, propose $349K in fines ORLANDO, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Florida roofing company for willfully putting workers at risk of falling at residential construction sites. Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that on Jan. 21, 2026, Orchids Builders LLC exposed workers to a 10-foot fall hazard when it failed to provide them with fall protection while they installed sheathing on a sloped roof at a Rockledge worksite. On March 10, 2026, OSHA investigators found the employer exposed a worker to a 9-foot fall hazard while installing metal hurricane clips at another Rockledge worksite. OSHA also found that Orchids Builders failed to prepare and maintain written fall protection training certificates for employees at both worksites, did not ensure workers had eye protection while using nail guns,...
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Settlement upholds citations against former New York contractor who willfully exposed employees to dangers that led to fatal 2018 Brooklyn trench collapse

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Settlement upholds citations against former New York contractor who willfully exposed employees to dangers that led to fatal 2018 Brooklyn trench collapse
Date of action:                       July 21, 2023 Type of action:                      Stipulated settlement agreement Names of defendants:           WSC Group LLC, 134 12th St., Brooklyn, New York Background:                          In March 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found WSC Group LLC willfully failed to provide an adequate protective system for employees working in a trench, and exposed them to other serious excavation hazards, that contributed to the death of a WSC employee in a September 2018 trench collapse in Brooklyn. The company contested OSHA’s citations before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The commission case was paused while the Kings County District Attorney’s office pursued a criminal case that led to the conviction of WSC company owner Jiaxi “Jimmy” Liu for criminally negligent homicide and other charges in March 2023. Resolution:                             An administrative law judge has issued an order concluding the commission case, following the execution of a civil settlement between the department and WSC Group LLC that upholds the citations and requires the company to pay $50,000 in penalties for the violations. In the settlement, the employer states it has ceased operations and will not perform any future construction work and that Liu will not own, operate, supervise or manage any company performing construction work. The judge’s order terminating the case was sent to the commission on July 21, 2023, and will become a final order on Aug. 21, 2023, unless a commission member directs review of the decision on or before that date. Court:                                     U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission Docket Number:                    No. 19-0475 Quotes:                                   “This settlement affirms OSHA’s citations, which found that this employer knowingly failed to construct the trench protection system properly and did not use other safeguards that would have prevented a worker’s death in a cave-in. It also confirms that neither WSC Group LLC nor its owner will ever engage in construction work again,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson in New York.                                                 “The outcome in this investigation should remind all employers that the U.S. Department of Labor will pursue all available legal remedies and work cooperatively with other agencies to enforce laws designed to protect workers,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Jeffrey S. Rogoff in New York. Learn more about OSHA.                                                

Published at August 14, 2023 at 05:00PM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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